Illustration by Jeremy Nguyen

 

 

One stop further into Bushwick and the brunch spots keep getting better, thanks to neighborhood staples like Northeast Kingdom. An even better omen for the cuisine off the Jefferson stop is influx of new spots opening up and new menus debuting at your old standbys. Start your weekend right by checking out five more spots willing to satisfy your brunch fix!

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Manolo M. is an illustrator/animator who likes to do comic strips. Find more at LuckyPamphlet.com.

Sunday Read is a weekly literary feature curated and edited by Wesley Salazar. We are accepting submissions of short stories, poetry, essays, script excerpts, comics, etc. (max: 1000 words) on a rolling basis. We are also looking for artists who would like to illustrate for Sunday Read. Please submit to wesleyATbushwickdaily.com.

Mominette, French Bistro in Bushwick. (all photos by Maria Gotay)

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of being the first of the Bushwick Daily family to try Mominette, a new French Restaurant that opened at 221 Knickerbocker on the corner of Troutman. The bar & bistro’s golden glow is a gorgeous (although slightly out-of-place) vision on the block, which features bodegas, a massive dollar store, a laundry mat, and the recently renovated Associated Market. Despite its uncanny location, the restaurant is here to stay, with its classic furnishings, romantic atmosphere, friendly staff, and fantastic food. From perfecting French staples like Escargot and Creme Brulee to simply nailing Mac’N'Cheese, Mominette is without a doubt Bushwick’s Best New Restaurant.

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Tutu’s is no Morgan (all photos by Katarina Hybenova for Bushwick Daily)

Good news for anyone who suffered through The Morgan : there’s a new bar in its place, and it’s probably not going to mysteriously transform into a Thai restaurant anytime soon. Tutu’s, co-owned by Lucas Walters (of Williamsburg’s The Commodore) and Jason Merritt (of nearby wine shop Big Tree Bottles) opened last month in the Morgan’s old spot off its namesake subway stop, and it’s serving up classic down-home food and drink in a lovely, old-school space.

Tutu’s co-owner Lucas Walters behind the bar in the back.

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All photos by Peter Dressel for Bushwick Daily.

Things are changing, and there is nothing harder, if not impossible than to capture a fleeting moment. A month ago, we informed you that Bushwick’s cult spot Life Cafe under the ownership of Kathy Kickpatrick was closing down. New owners were set to open a spot of similar vibe in its place. After the August renovations the restaurant closed as Life Cafe, and reopened as 983. The new owners Darin Rubell, co-owner of downtown Manhattan watering holes GalleryBar and Ella, and partners Mark Trzupek (former manager of Life Café 983) and chef David Rotter (Norwood) made some changes to the menu and redecorated the interior.

Here is how it looks like nowadays. What do you think? Better? Have you had brunch there yet? Any recommendations?   (more…)

By Katarina Hybenova

Welcome to Bushwick! This is the real deal – the living, breathing art scene of New York. 35+ galleries and hundreds of artist studios. Let’s be thankful that we are here to enjoy it. At Bushwick Daily we have been asked on numerous occasions when the best day is to visit Bushwick galleries and what else there is to do. I believe that the best day for an art adventure in Bushwick is Sunday because most of the galleries have open hours, and you can combine the gallery stroll with a Sunday brunch and après-gallery drinks.

Start with brunch

Cafe Ghia

Whether you’re coming from another borough or just from two blocks down the road, you should start your artsy Sunday with a delicious brunch. A middle aged couple from Manhattan stopped me on the street last week to ask if there were any safe brunching options in Bushwick. I had to laugh because Bushwick could be easily renamed to Brunchwick. Bushwick has plenty of great brunch options. This week, I would like to highlight Cafe Ghia, which immediately became a neighborhood favorite when it opened over a year ago. Basically, everything about this place is lovely. The bright interior has plenty of light, nice service and, most importantly, delicious and affordable brunch. My personal pick is Vegan Scramble for $10 (Tofu, sweet potato, kale, scallion, spicy black bean sauce, and ginger-lime tofu “cream,” served with toast.)

Cafe Ghia, 24 Irving Ave, one block from Jefferson L stop

Cafe Ghia (all photos by the author unless stated otherwise)

Regina Rex

Two birds with one stone (wink wink)! Regina Rex is in the same building like Parallel Art Space recommended for their closing brunch. They are open on Fridays through Sundays 12-6pm with their current exhibition Not About Love (featuring EJ Hauser, Nancy Haynes, and Sarah Peters).

Regina Rex, 1717 Troutman building, #329, Jefferson L stop

Storefront Bushwick

Walk over to 16 Wilson Ave and enjoy the current exhibition of Abdolreza Aminlari and Drew Shiflett in the main room, and a group show Cosmology in the project room (Nancy Bowen, Matthew Mahler, Paula Overbay and Lauren Seiden).

Storefront Bushwick, 16 Wilson, Jefferson or Morgan L stop, open on Saturday and Sunday 1-6pm 

Microscope Gallery

When on the Sunday gallery stroll, don’t miss the opportunity to check out the extended exhibition of Emma Bee Bernstein’s polaroids titled Exquisite Fucking Boredom. Emma Bernstein committed suicide at the age of 23 in Venice, Italy. Bernstein transformed “the spontaneous, on-the-spot Polaroid aesthetic into a generational portrait of hyper-self-conscious, passionately alluring young women and men taking on adulthood with deadly serious abandon.”

Microscope Gallery, 4 Charles Pl, Broadway/Myrtle J, M, Z train stop, open Thursday to Monday 1 to 6pm.

Exquisite Fucking Boredom (image courtesy of Microscope Gallery)

Enjoy what comes after the galleries…

After the gallery stroll, stop by for an artisanal beer or cocktail at Miles on 101 Wilson, or for a beergarita at Cain’s Tavern at 36 Wilson.  If you didn’t get enough culture, you can catch an excellent play at The Bushwick Starr theater Violette Violette at 8pm.

Beergaritas at Cain’s Tavern (image from Cain’s Tavern facebook page)

Miles, 101 Wilson Ave, Central M train stop or Jefferson L train stop

Cain’s Tavern, 36 Wilson Ave, Jefferson or Morgan L train stop

The Bushwick Starr, 207 Starr St,. Jefferson L train stop

By Katarina Hybenova

Bushwickians brunching at Life Cafe on a weekend.

Life Cafe is closing down permanently on June 30, 2012. Yesterday, Kathy Life, the owner of Life Cafe, a cult Bushwick eatery and watering hole announced it on their website.   Kathy and her husband, now in their sixties are being involuntarily sent to the earlier retirement by their landlord who decided not to extend their lease. “…the landlord of my thriving Bushwick café told me that he was not going to extend my lease,” Kathy writes on the website.  (more…)